ANIMAL FEED PLANT: Geelen Counterflow - the Netherlands

Drying and cooling at Geelen Counterflow in Haelen, Limburg, The Netherlands:
For the second time manufacturer of drying and cooling equipment Geelen Counterflow organised a training for pet food and aquafeed producers. Some 20 people participated coming from various regions in the world.
The family owned company just finished and extension to their manufacturing halls to be able to streamline production and shift to make-to-order system to increase efficiency. Focus of the company is food safety, moisture control and energy efficiency.
Feed Tech was offered the opportunity to have a look behind the scenes of this drying and cooling specialist.

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Already in the drawing stage of engineering coolers and dryers can be tested or improved with a simulation program

For now many types of steel works need to be stored. One cooler exists of 500 components and a dryer is made out of 3,000 components

A new laser cutter for sheet metal is being installed. This allows Geelen to change their production from make-for-storage to make-to-order

Current manufacturing machines will be put in line with the laser cutter. This will increase efficiency, because production will only start once the customer has signed the contract

In the new situation assembling of dryers and coolers will take place on a 90% standardised design basis and 10% flexible design to satisfy customer demand

Each workshop can make a full system

A discharger is being laid out for further assembly

Partly assembled dryers ready for spray painting

Each dryer or cooler is painted in these spray cabinets in the colours that the customer desires

The smallest cooler in Geelen’s program. This one cools 400-500 kg of product and is often used in laboratory units of product development departments

Dryers and coolers ready for shipment to be placed in containers

Coolers ready for shipment in crates

Inside head of a MKII cooler. All parts that come into contact with the products are made of stainless steel. Edges are rounded to improve cleaning and feed safety

In the shutes and extra angle is made to round of the corners and make them smoother and easier to clean